It is important to note that MAV differs depending on what type of product it is. Someone referenced the USDA FSIS MAV Net Weight, but that is for Meat and Poultry products, and MAV for meat and poultry differs in that if the MAV was 10% of 8oz steak then the MAX=+-.8oz. However if the inspector does a Net Weigh check and he finds a 7.2oz steak, this doesn't necessarily mean that the lot passed. USDA uses 2 criteria that need to be met and are as follows:
Decision criteria: The rules for determining whether the inspection lot complies with the net weight requirements. The net weight test results must meet BOTH criteria.
1) The total package error (sum of the individual package errors) is equal to or greater than zero.
2) No individual minus package error can exceed the MAV.
https://www.fsis.usd..._Net_Weight.pdf
See Page 7.
EXAMPLES:
1) If after checking 20 steaks the total difference is negative then the lot fails (for example 20 steaks of 8oz should be 160oz total, so if inspector checks and its 158oz total, according to the criteria the lot will not pass either). The +-.8oz is just a wiggle room just in case some steaks are short weighted, however the other steaks need to be heavier than 8oz to level the difference.
2) If inspector checks 20 steaks, and 1 steak is under 7.2oz, the entire lot fails automatically.
Edited by sssolorzanooo, 09 September 2023 - 09:06 PM.
